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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27783196">Once Upon an Ugly Sweater</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyofstardvst/pseuds/ladyofstardvst'>ladyofstardvst</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>among the stars of wonderland [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel, The Punisher (TV 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Language, alcohol mention, literally just. this is just FUN okay</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:54:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>475</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27783196</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyofstardvst/pseuds/ladyofstardvst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“I’ll return it tomorrow,” you call over your shoulder. Frank doesn’t have to see you to know you’re grinning, all saccharine sweet and completely full of shit. He balls up the sweater and throws it in a corner. “You’re just lucky I didn’t get a picture of The Punisher in an ugly sweater.”</p>
<p>in which you find Frank an ugly sweater, and he Is Not Pleased.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Frank Castle/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>among the stars of wonderland [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2032429</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Once Upon an Ugly Sweater</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i just couldn't get this out of my head, ok</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You look <em>ridiculous</em>.”</p>
<p>Soft laughter glides through your apartment. The stereo tuned in to a local radio station can no longer be heard over a fresh wave of merriment that echoes all the way from your stomach.</p>
<p>Frank Castle glares, already so very well aware. Your shoulders start to shake again.</p>
<p>“You don’t say,” he drawls. Frank tries to push past you to back into the bedroom. You don’t budge.</p>
<p>“But as far as hideous sweaters go – it’s not <em>that</em> bad,” you pause, study the ugly sweater in question. “You may need a few drinks first, but who’s counting?”</p>
<p>Frank snorts. “I will, if you don’t move.”</p>
<p>You breathe a laugh, and he tries to tamp down one of his own. It’s nice, arguing over trivial things like this. It’s a welcome change of pace from the usual gunfire and safe house hideouts and FBI <em>assholes</em> trying to kick down all of his doors.</p>
<p>It may not last, this kind of quiet, but he had grown tired of running from. . .well, <em>this</em>. You’ve given him a place to ground, even if that place isn’t always <em>you</em>.</p>
<p>Frank lets himself smile something radiant, something <em>real</em>. A compromise he can live with.</p>
<p>Your breath always hitches when he looks at you like he does in that moment; like you’re someone more than who you really are. An angel, in the flesh. Aphrodite incarnate. Venus, glowing ethereal as she walks to the shore from the depths of an aquamarine sea.</p>
<p>Suddenly, you’ve grown warm, and your eyes have to leave his before you burst into flame. The low hum of the radio fills the silence once again.</p>
<p>“Okay, that’s fair,” you say with a smile. “You may pass.”</p>
<p>The look on his face has you cackling as you step aside, taking one last look as he passes by.</p>
<p>“You know,” you cough out, “That’s. . .that actually really is a monstrosity. It’s like a winter wonderland threw up on a cable knit sweater.”</p>
<p>“<em>No shit</em>,” he agrees, tries to hide the amusement creeping into his heart.</p>
<p>Frank’s tone is rough, but his silhouette is anything but. He’s relaxed. Movements open and graceful against the shine of bright snow flurries out the window. They fall fast and wild, stark against the brick and steel buildings that line the street. The golden setting sun light the world beyond, on fire.</p>
<p>The sight is cozy, despite the chill that clings to the air.</p>
<p>“I’ll return it tomorrow,” you call over your shoulder. Frank doesn’t have to see you to know you’re grinning, all saccharine sweet and <em>completely full of shit</em>. He balls up the sweater and throws it in a corner. “You’re just lucky I didn’t get a picture of The Punisher in an ugly sweater.”</p>
<p>He huffs a laugh, and pulls you into his arms while you watch the snow fall.</p>
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